Players.bio is a large online platform sharing the best live coverage of your favourite sports: Football, Golf, Rugby, Cricket, F1, Boxing, NFL, NBA, plus the latest sports news, transfers & scores. Exclusive interviews, fresh photos and videos, breaking news. Stay tuned to know everything you wish about your favorite stars 24/7. Check our daily updates and make sure you don't miss anything about celebrities' lives.

Contacts

  • Owner: SNOWLAND s.r.o.
  • Registration certificate 06691200
  • 16200, Na okraji 381/41, Veleslavín, 162 00 Praha 6
  • Czech Republic

Micheluzzi leads Australian Open as Smith struggles

MELBOURNE : Local pro David Micheluzzi shot a scintillating opening round of 63 to lead the Australian Open by three strokes on Thursday as a weary Cameron Smith fell back to earth on Melbourne's 'Sandbelt' after his triumphant return to Queensland.

Australian young gun Grace Kim led the women's component of the inaugural dual gender event by two strokes from South Korea's former world number one Shin Jiyai and major winner Hannah Green after a blazing start in her seven-under 66 at Kingston Heath.

Micheluzzi rolled in eight birdies in his seven-under round at Victoria Golf Club, with just a solitary bogey on the 10th as he took advantage of gentle morning conditions to upstage the likes of Smith and former world number one Adam Scott.

He held a three-stroke lead over home player Matthew Griffin and Josh Geary, the New Zealander carding a four-under 68 at Kingston Heath.

British Open champion Smith celebrated a three-stroke win on Sunday to seal his third Australian PGA Championship in front a thrilled home crowd at Royal Queensland but slumped to a one-over 71 at Victoria to be eight strokes behind Micheluzzi.

"I need to do better than that. Maybe some kind of delayed tiredness," Smith told reporters after a round of four bogeys.

Smith has been a hot ticket for fans, sponsors and media on his return to Australia after three years away due to the global pandemic, and he felt he had let down the big galleries that followed him.

"I did feel a little bit foggy out there at times but still it's not really an excuse. It's my job to do all that (off-course) stuff."

Smith has until Saturday to make up ground before the field is cut to 30 for the final round of the event which is held across two courses to accommodate the men's and

Read more on channelnewsasia.com